Farmington Valley Gets A New Farmer's Market

FARMINGTON — When a Simsbury farmer and an Avon resident heard that the Hill-Stead Museum was canceling its farmer's market this summer, the news didn't sit well.

So, they created a new one.

Sue Bernstein of Avon and Daren Hall of The George Hall Farm planned and created the Farmington Valley Farmer's Market only 12 weeks ago. The market just wrapped up its fifth week and Bernstein said she couldn't be happier.

"Looking back," Bernstein said, "we got the permits the first week of May and we have approval from the town to be open until the beginning of November."

The Farmington Valley Farmer's Market is open on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Riverdale Shopping Center in Avon on 124 Simsbury Road.

Hall got to know Bernstein when she was part of a community-supported agriculture program at the George Hall Farm. Hall approached Bernstein in the spring to ask for her help in organizing the new market and seek vendors.

"One of the reasons I asked her," Hall said, "is because she's a well-traveled person. She has a different viewpoint on what's good, bad and indifferent."

Hall said he motivated to create a new farmer's market to boost sales. He said he was having trouble finding farmer's markets to sell his products and heard the same from other local farmers.

"I'm an agriculturist and an optimist," Hall said. "Everything I work with is supposed to turn green, so I went into this thinking it would be the greatest thing in the world."

Hall said the biggest problem the two organizers are struggling with is how to make the Farmington Valley Farmer's Market different from others. Bernstein said the market offers a variety of vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, grass-feed beef, cheeses, Connecticut-made hot sauce and soap. The market also offers live music.

"This market really encompasses the whole area," Bernstein said. "I'm hoping to get a fresh pasta maker as a vendor."

Bernstein said she refers to herself and Hall as the "market masters." She said she attends every Sunday and reinforces the idea of farm-to-table dinners.

"All the ingredients are here," she said.

Hall and Bernstein are looking for volunteers and vendors to help with the market.

"It's one of those things you hope to keep building upon," Hall said. "I want to try get demonstrations by local chefs next."